Oh Captain, My Captain

EMGC64

Our lookouts have been posted for some time now, scanning the horizon for Task Force Eaglemoss. Thus far, the warships seem to have taken a rather indirect route to reach our shores, avoiding the traditional sea lanes for perhaps a more scenic route. Or maybe we’re just suffering from sun stroke and seeing mirages.

Anyway, we’re now being told to expect several new ships in June, although we still don’t know as yet which ships will form the latest squadron. To date, they’ve been released in a non-sequential fashion, so its anyone’s guess which ships will make the cut and which will be delayed for the next assault wave. We will continue to review the sonar scans, feed the lookouts black coffee and monitor radio traffic to the best of our abilities and issue General Quarters once we have a solid lead.

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The Motor Pool: Line Delineation

Limited Edition A

In an ongoing effort to make our business as transparent as possible while keeping everyone informed about the latest diecast we offer in our product portfolio, we have decided to add a special series of graphics to each manufacturer category called “series graphics.”

Mass Production A

Three graphics have been created – limited edition, mass produced and partworks – which will be positioned on the initial category landing page just below the company information. These have been designed to clarify how each range is presented to the public and will hopefully help you to make a more informed purchasing decision, including the likelihood of return on investment should you be approaching this hobby from a purely financial standpoint.

Partworks Edition A

We hope these graphics add to your enjoyment of the hobby!

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Hobby Master: Time to Make the Donuts

Donuts

Perhaps Fred the Baker of Dunkin Donuts fame said it best when he uttered those immortal words, “Its time to make the donuts!” With Chinese New Year now all but a distant memory, we were hoping to hear a bit of news concerning several models from Hobby Master, ones they’ve produced in the past but have now dried up due to high sales demand. Key among them is their 1:72 scale F-111/EF-111 Aardvarks, not to mention their recently introduced RA-5C Vigilantes, which blew out almost as fast as they arrived. We are now completely out of both aircraft types, thanks to strong demand, abbreviated production runs and generally high consumer satisfaction with both models. Likewise, we’re hoping to see their upcoming F/A-18E Super Hornet along with their MiG 23 Flogger sometime soon, which has obvious implications for a potential MiG 27 strike aircraft.

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Sikorsky: When Super-Sizing isn’t Enough

The first CH-53K aircraft achieves 120 knots at Sikorsky's Development Flight Test Center in West Palm Beach, FL (PRNewsFoto/Lockheed Martin)

Helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky is reporting that tests are currently underway on the replacement for the CH-53E Super Stalion Stallion heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-53K King Stallion. According to Flightglobal, “The Lockheed Martin-owned rotorcraft manufacturer says its second triple-engine giant achieved flight on January 22nd, and the two developmental aircraft have logged 35 flight hours since CH-53K flying began on 27 October.

Operating from Sikorsky’s flight test center in West Palm Beach, Florida, the first engineering development model (EDM) recently flew 120kts, just 21kts sky of its advertised speed of 141kts.

The programme, which entered development in October 2005, will deliver 200 “super-heavy-lift” helicopters to the US Marine Corps as a replacement for the CH-53E Super Stallion, which the service plans to phase out by 2027.

Powered by three General Electric Aviation T408-400 turboshaft engines, the King Stallion will introduce fly-by-wire controls, “fourth-generation rotor blades” with anhedral tips, and increase the payload capacity threefold. It will haul 12.2t (27,000lbs) over 110nm – 1.4t (3,000lbs) less than the original target set in 2005 but still significantly more than the Sikorsky CH-53E.”

Hopefully, the diecast modelmakers are listening, and a replica of this important rotary-wing aircraft isn’t too far behind.

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Bitchin’ Betty Bids Bye-Bye

Betty

Leslie Shook, the woman behind the female voice in the F/A-18 cockpit that chirps up when things go awry, plans to retire from Boeing. An automated recording of her voice had been used as an audio cue that was designed to help reduce the workload on the pilot. In a study published years ago, pilots of the Hornet and Super Hornet typically experienced the highest workload in the single-seat aircraft, who were tasked with a multitude of jobs ordinarily performed by a two-seat crew.

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Did Someone Request a Low-Vis F-14D Tomcat?

HA5202

In a year where there will likely be a deluge of F-14 Tomcats, its important we compare apples to apples and Tomcats to Tomcats. Hobby Master’s first release was based upon an “A” version, and was decked out in a standard naval scheme with squadron logos and insignia (HA5201). Their second release represents a completely different look at the venerable Fleet Defense Fighter, this time portraying a “D” variant in a low-vis naval grey aimed at making it blend in with the sky (HA5202).

HA5202c

Like its predecessor, the Hobby Master replica features swing wing variable geometry wings, so you can display your warplane in a swept back or forward positioned takeoff mode. Combined with the legendary “Felix the Cat” logo of VF-31 “Tomcatters”, a full load of ordnance, and the usual attention to detail, it looks like we have another winner on our hands.

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Drones: Then and Now

VTOL Drone

On the same day that the Pentagon announced that at least 150 Al-Shabab fighters were killed in a drone strike in Somalia comes news that DARPA is looking to take unmanned aircraft to the next level. According to Defense News, “The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has selected Aurora Flight Sciences to build the so-called “X-Plane,” an unmanned aircraft that will take off and land vertically.

DARPA awarded Aurora the prime contract for phase two of the agency’s Vertical Takeoff and Landing Experimental Plane, or VTOL X-Plane, program, the company announced March 3.

The Aurora team’s design, named LightningStrike, is an unmanned aircraft that features a Rolls-Royce AE 1107C turboshaft engine that will power three Honeywell generators, according to a company statement.

Under the agreement, Aurora will develop a technology demonstrator that can fly 50 percent faster than existing VTOL aircraft, the statement reads. Aurora will conduct the first flight tests of the technology demonstrator sometime around 2018.”

A drone capable of attaining speeds in excess of 400 knots would enable it to reach targets faster than a prop-driven unmanned aircraft and would permit it to loiter over a particular site for extended periods of time. Likewise, a VTOL drone would not need an extended hardened runway for takeoffs and landings, making it more flexible and adaptable to different environments.

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Star Trek: The Battle of Wolf 359

Kyushu

If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool trekkie like we are, then you’re no doubt familiar with much of the Star Trek universe and lore, including the cataclysmic Battle of Wolf 359, where nearly 40 Federation star ships were destroyed by the Borg. While imagery of the battle has always remained sketchy, it takes a dedicated Star Trek artist to bring the battle to life, so-to-speak, by modelling many of the ships lost during the conflict.

Star Trek production artist Rick Sternbach has begun modelling several of the most noteworthy vessels lost at the hands of the Borg, including the USS Kyushu, a New Orleans Class starship,  which will be the subject of an upcoming Eaglemoss replica to be released later this year. For more information concerning his endeavors as well as pictures of some of the other models that could potentially be included in the Eaglemoss range, beam over to the The Trek Collective.

In related news, we’ve amended our Star Trek section so that it now contains several subsections highlighting some of the most important battle in the Star Trek universe, such as the Battle of Wolf 359. Enjoy!

 

 

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Ebay’s 3X eBay Bucks

Ebay Activation

Ordinarily we don’t comment on other sales channels, but we thought you might like to know that eBay has just kicked off a special promotion that could tickle your fancy. From now until March 4th, eBay will award customers with three times the normal eBay bucks they typically get after making and completing a purchase, with no minimum purchase. Want to purchase a single K-Cup of coffee (er, okay), then you’re going to find yourself with a little extra do-re-mi courtesy of the ‘Bay. So, while we’re already offering some fabulous deals on the auction site with our Buy it Now function, now you can juice your purchase with some added zeal, much like our very own MyRewards loyalty program. Enjoy!

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Awash in Star Trek: Romulans to the Left of Us, The Borg to the Right

EMST0057

I guess you could say we’re in Star Trek heaven. After going a couple of months without any new Eaglemoss Star Trek starships to ogle, we will soon be inundated with an avalanche of new releases. On their way to us are #56 through #63 in the standard-sized starship series, which covers everything from a retro-looking 23rd Century Romulan Bird-of-Prey to the infamous Botany Bay, which was used by the steroid-laden Khan to wrest control of the USS Enterprise away from Captain Kirk and his crew.

Shuttlecraft 2

Also expected are the over-sized USS Kelvin and Shuttlecraft 4-piece multi-pack, two key pieces in the Star Trek special edition puzzle that are must-have’s for any serious Star Trek collector. Lay claim to your favorite ships today before they are all gone!

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